The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-12-03

smashed in or a thing done, calc'late to take snap shot through the win der at young tenderfoot"
 Duke began to think it high time to withdraw. Softly rising, he was tiptoeing to the rail, when his foot caught in the mooring rope, and down he went with tremendous thump.
 Before he could regain his feet, two of the men were on him, and five min utes later he was lying, gagged and bound, on the top of the shanty, in such position that by the light of the moon he could distinctly see everything that was going on.
 "When we come back with the girl, lll settle your hash, my young ban- tam p said Cummings, exultantly.
 And then the three left poor Duke to his own reflections and stepped ashore.
 Dukes feelings, as, lying bound and helpless, he watched the villainous trio approach the door of Brant's dwelling, cannot well be put into words.
 Though he himself had everything to live for, his own fate seemed com paratively of small moment as he thought of the living death awaiting the young girl. And he ground his teeth in impotent wrath as he saw Buck Cummings draw back the butt of his gun, as though to drive it through the panels of the door.
 But, to his great surprise, the door was thrown open before blow was struck. The river was swollen by the rains, and the deck of the boat lay nearly on level with the top of the little bluff. And the house itself was not twenty feet from its edge.
 So, from where he lay, Duke could see by the flood of light that streamed through the door that Mrs. Brant and daughter appeared to welcome, rather than repel, the invaders And, CD silhouette, against the background of light, he noticed black bottle stand ing on the table.
 All this was torture to poor Duke, particularly when he saw Buck Cum mings, the only one of the trio who appeared to be armed, lean his gun against the wall and drop heavily upon stool, in which example he was followed by the other two.
 The clinking of glasses, blended with hoarse laughter, reached his be- wildered ears, and Duke was begin- ming to wonder whether the whole were not some part ofa terrible night mare, when all at once he saw the young girl steal from the open door.
 Seizing the axe, which stood by the chopping-block in the yard, she ran directly toward the boat, looking back as she did SO.
 The reason was obvious. A mo- ment later, Duke, whose heart was beating almost to sutfocation, was conscious that Mrs. Brant had snatched Cummings rifle from its place and followed her daughter.
 "Quick, mother p.
 And as Mrs. Brant sprang aboard the shanty boat, Kitty severed the mooring line with two quick blows of the axe.
 Then, seizing setting pole, the plucky girl pushed the bow into the stream, and, as the swift current swung the shallow craft clear of the bank, she dropped the pole and ran to the tiller
 The whole affair had been eleverly planned and so swiftly carried into execution that before the three men were fairly out of the house their boat was dozen yards out in the turbid current, which was beginning to sweep it downward with considerable force.
 Tall and bareheaded, Mrs. Brant stood holding the cooked rife in read mess, while grim smile was visible on her careworn visage as the three men, rushing wildly along the river bank, raved and swore and threatened terrific improbabilities.
 even burn your old shebang down if you don't head the boat inter the bank!" yelled Jim Brady, clutching madly at his hip.
 Alas the heavy pistol which usually was go handy lay with those of the other two on the rude table in the boats cabin.
 "1t's time John was home; he'll hev a word to say about that" resorted Mrs. Brant, whose faith in her hus- bans fighting powers were evidently of the firmest kind.
 "Give him my love when you see himw shouted Jim Brady, mockingly. ''Pm sorry to hev to say that Buck here got the drop on him this morL- in at South Bend Forks, an he's a. layin' under the wagin deader'n--' It was not the cry of horror escap- ing the lips of the young girl in the stern that checked the further utter ance of the brutal speaker.
 Nol It was the sudden conscious ness that unwittingly he had sealed l n-- Il ss